[ARCHIVE to 2018] American Express Announces Two New Hilton Credit Cards
Dec 17, 2017, 7:58 am
#556
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: San Diego, Ca
Programs: AA 2MM LT PLT; AS MVP Gold75k; HHonors Diamond; IHG PLT
Posts: 3,503
Just got my first monthly Amex reward points since the transition to Ascend.
The points still post the same day as the CC bill is paid. However, instead of a single deposit of points, the points came in three separate transactions. Again, all came same-day, but they were labeled "AMEX ASCEND CARD PTS ON ELIGIBLE SPEND" and "AMEX ASCEND BONUS POINTS". I had to add them up to make sure the appropriate amount was deposited. Everything looks OK so far.
The points still post the same day as the CC bill is paid. However, instead of a single deposit of points, the points came in three separate transactions. Again, all came same-day, but they were labeled "AMEX ASCEND CARD PTS ON ELIGIBLE SPEND" and "AMEX ASCEND BONUS POINTS". I had to add them up to make sure the appropriate amount was deposited. Everything looks OK so far.
Based on prior experience, I DO expect AMEX to offer targeted promotions - with lots of bonus points - to upgrade to Aspire. Likewise, expect a devaluation 1-2 years in, for all Hilton cards - such as watering down of Priority Pass benefit.
Dec 18, 2017, 2:46 pm
#558
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 1,536
IF...they acknowledge that they are brand new cards. What if you currently have the Surpass? Will you get a sign-up bonus when it becomes Ascend? (my Honors points already say they are from my "Ascend" card). But if I cancel my Surpass today, on January 18 will I be able to apply for a new Ascend card and get the bonus? Or will Amex say "the Surpass became the Ascend, so only one lifetime bonus which you already got when you applied for the Surpass many moons ago".
Those are the things I'd like to know. What to do right now. Cancel my Surpass or it won't matter since I can't ever get another bonus anyway?
Those are the things I'd like to know. What to do right now. Cancel my Surpass or it won't matter since I can't ever get another bonus anyway?
Now, the phone rep claimed that the card bonuses are based on the card, so that "once you have any Hilton card, you're not eligible for any bonuses, but you can certainly try".
I know that statement to not be true (currently) because you can apply for the no-fee Hilton card, get a bonus and apply for the Surpass card and get a bonus (well, maybe not today), provided you never had either card (or it was more than like 7 years ago).
So I'm banking on the fact that Amex won't treat the Ascend card as the Surpass card in the TOC of any welcome bonus. If not, no biggie. I can just re-apply later, if needbe. Their records show I never had the no fee card anyway.
Oh, and I've been a Surpass card holder since 1991 and usually spend $3-4k/year on it (this year was closer to 6k) and was offered a whopping 5,000 Hilton honors points to keep the card. Um yeah. At an average redemption of $0.005/point I don't think so.
Dec 18, 2017, 2:49 pm
#559
Company Representative - Honors by Hilton
Join Date: Aug 2009
Programs: Hilton Honors
Posts: 1,516
Hi all,
Hope you had a good weekend. Getting back to you on a few posts saw pop up.
Assume the spend on the Amex Surpass card from 1/1-1/18 will also count toward the spend to reach Diamond status.BUT...if your Amex Surpass card Closing Date is 12/17/2017, will spend from 12/18/17-12/31/17 count toward the spend to reach Diamond status in 2017 or 2018? T&C suggests 2017, but would appreciate confirmation.
12/18/17-12/31/17 counts towards 2017 spend.
If the $250 incidental follows the same "engine" as the AmEx Platinum, does it reset upon New Year's Day? Meaning, during the first year of membership for AmEx Plat, you essentially get double the amount of incidental reimbursement as it resets on January 1st. Does anyone know if the AmEx Hilton Aspire follows the same? If it does, it's a pretty good deal for the first year.
It follows the same engine as Amex Platinum and does reset on Jan 1.
Signup Bonus - will we or won't we?
We will indeed have sign up bonuses for new accounts and the details will be shared on Jan 18 when the cards officially launch.
Thanks!
Lauren
Hope you had a good weekend. Getting back to you on a few posts saw pop up.
Assume the spend on the Amex Surpass card from 1/1-1/18 will also count toward the spend to reach Diamond status.BUT...if your Amex Surpass card Closing Date is 12/17/2017, will spend from 12/18/17-12/31/17 count toward the spend to reach Diamond status in 2017 or 2018? T&C suggests 2017, but would appreciate confirmation.
12/18/17-12/31/17 counts towards 2017 spend.
If the $250 incidental follows the same "engine" as the AmEx Platinum, does it reset upon New Year's Day? Meaning, during the first year of membership for AmEx Plat, you essentially get double the amount of incidental reimbursement as it resets on January 1st. Does anyone know if the AmEx Hilton Aspire follows the same? If it does, it's a pretty good deal for the first year.
It follows the same engine as Amex Platinum and does reset on Jan 1.
Signup Bonus - will we or won't we?
We will indeed have sign up bonuses for new accounts and the details will be shared on Jan 18 when the cards officially launch.
Thanks!
Lauren
Dec 18, 2017, 2:55 pm
#560
Join Date: Feb 2011
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold, HH Diamond
Posts: 879
For those of us who will transfer over from the old card to the new card will we be considered "new accounts"?
Dec 18, 2017, 5:10 pm
#561
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: CT/ Germany - Ich spreche deutsch
Programs: UA 1K, Bonvoy LTTE, HH Dia, HY Expl
Posts: 4,657
Last edited by christianj; Dec 18, 2017 at 5:17 pm
Dec 18, 2017, 5:15 pm
#562
Join Date: May 2009
Location: EUG
Programs: AS MVP, AA MM, HH Diamond, MR Gold
Posts: 8,222
Seriously? Read what you just wrote! “Transfer” does not in any way shape or form indicate a new account! I’m usually pretty mellow and don’t make negative comments on post but what people here are expecting is getting ridiculous. We would all like to get a bonus but come on do you really think Amex just wants to give everyone extra points for not doing ANYTHING?
Dec 18, 2017, 5:24 pm
#563
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: CT/ Germany - Ich spreche deutsch
Programs: UA 1K, Bonvoy LTTE, HH Dia, HY Expl
Posts: 4,657
Now everyone just needs to relax and see what they actually offer on Jan 18!
Last edited by christianj; Dec 18, 2017 at 5:30 pm
Dec 18, 2017, 7:42 pm
#564
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,934
Keep in mind also that Amex is introducing what is basically a business version of the Ascend card. But since it's a business version, you can't have had it before by any possible definition. (And you don't have to have an actual business to apply for Amex business cards.) So you might as well get that first, and wait for the datapoints to come in about whether they treat Ascend and Surpass as the same card or not for purposes of signup bonus qualification.
Dec 21, 2017, 2:59 pm
#565
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Spire Ambassador, Radisson Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 3,623
I just got my annual free night on my Citi Hilton Reserve card today and therefore canceled the card in anticipation of the new AMEX offerings. They offered me 5,000 retention points to keep the card and I declined.
Dec 21, 2017, 8:38 pm
#566
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Rochester, MN
Programs: UA Silver, Hilton HHonors Diamond, IHG Plat
Posts: 1,830
Dec 21, 2017, 10:20 pm
#567
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: MCO, YEG
Posts: 1,182
Interesting choice. You could have spent $15,000 on it in the new year and received two free nights (plus the 45,000 points, of course)
Dec 23, 2017, 12:03 am
#568
Join Date: Dec 2008
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 669
For the new cards coming out in Jan, how long would they take to arrive once approved? I have a trip on Jan 30th that I’d like to use it for, but not sure if it would arrive by then. Thank you!
Dec 23, 2017, 10:04 am
#569
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: RSW
Programs: Delta - Silver; UA - Silver; HHonors - Diamond; IHG - Spire Ambassador; Marriott Bonvoy - Titanium
Posts: 14,185
Aren't they supposed to be sending out the cards around the middle of January?
Dec 23, 2017, 11:23 am
#570
Join Date: Mar 2017
Programs: HHonors, TrueBlue, Delta SkyMiles, Hyatt Discoverist, Starwood Preferred Guest, American Airlines.
Posts: 2,035
They overnighted my Hilton Honors card, but was already a customer when approved for it.